Bomb threat planning.

Because bomb threats are real in many schools across the nation, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Department of Education recently joined forces to offer a CD-ROM with one comprehensive plan as well as a Web site that district leaders can use to get the latest stories and resources regarding such threats.

The CD-ROM offers prevention tips and planning advice for bomb threats, such as staff training, when and how to evacuate buildings, how to search a room properly, and how to respond to explosives. Reference cards also help schools customize plans.

The idea came about more than two years ago when the chiefs of police in the nation's largest school districts met to discuss bomb threats in schools, according to "William Modzeleski, associate deputy undersecretary of the federal Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. Three points were clear, he says: Bomb threats were so extensive in some districts they had to extend the school year; bomb threats were disrupting the entire school day; every district had varying procedures to handle such threats.

The ATFE has compiled a guide based on best practices with general procedures every district should follow. Modzeleski says some points include how important school building layout is and offers such tips as eliminating shrubs near buildings because they are hiding places for bombs, or making sure cars or other vehicles cannot park next to the building, an easy transport for bombs.

Fred Ellis, director of safety and security at Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, says the CD-ROM offers better tips to improve the bomb threat training they already had in place for top administrators. "It really explains the whole soup to nuts about bombs and bomb threats," Ellis says. It deciphers "the difference between a threat and having a device in the school, how to do searches, and it includes a discussion about different responses of just doing nothing or total evacuation."

www.threatplan.org

High School Violence

In high school students' opinions,
violence at their high schools is:

Not serious at all   48%

Not too serious      31%

Very serious         5%

Somewhat serious     16%

Source: Public Agenda, 2001, www.publicagenda.org

Note: Table made from pie graph.

VIOLENCE PREVENTION

Percent of high school students saying their school:

Offers effective counseling to troubled kids              87%

Has police officers or armed security guards              67%

Tries to identify troubled students                       63%

Conducts random student locker searches                   51%

Has security cameras in hallways/other areas              41%

Conducts random student searches                          31%

Has metal detectors at entrances                          7%

Source: Public Agenda

Note: Table made from graph.